Morgan Library
I was in a suburb of New York City two weeks ago and had to get to the Morgan Library. It has been a number of years since I have been able to make it there and it is probably my favorite place in New York. This aptly was visit #10!
It is peaceful and full of light in the museum. It was busy in there, but still quiet. I continue to love how elegantly the museum meshed contemporary with the traditional elements.
I focused on my visit on three major exhibits: John Singer Sargent: Portraits in Charcoal, Verdi: Creating Otello and Falstaff-Highlights from the Ricordi Archives, and the main library wing.
I really like the John Singer Sargent oil painting portraits. He is quite well known for these paintings that he completed in the early portion of the 1900s including many of the souls and their children. He painted so many famous people of that time period. He ended up switching to charcoal because it was faster and he could complete sketches of sitters much faster.
He was also painting murals at this same time. The sketches were done between England and New England/Boston/New York.
The Verdi exhibit was fascinating. I knew a little about Verdi and his fame writing Aida. He then went into "retirement." It turns out that a successful publisher was able to pull Verdi "back into the game" TWICE!
This exhibit focuses on these last two operas. It was full of multi-media elements from the opera -- early manuscripts, costumes, theater backdrops, and contracts. Most composers had stayed away from Shakespeare based operas after the success of a few others.
I had not seen the completed library since the renovation. The main library/office (where he conducted business) is beautiful - it feels like a Renaissance king could have lived there. I could spend hours in the book library on the other side of the hall. The fireplace is a massive job -- and the books!
It puts the library in Beauty and the Beast to shame. I could just look at all the books he purchased for hours.
The Gutenberg Bible continues to be a crown jewel of the collection.
It also has a fantastic gift shop. I picked up a few items for my sisters' and mother's Christmas stocking!
Times visited: 10
Time in museum: ~1.75 hrs
Overall: A
It is peaceful and full of light in the museum. It was busy in there, but still quiet. I continue to love how elegantly the museum meshed contemporary with the traditional elements.
 |
| Not sure if you can see it, but the grates are full of birds |
I focused on my visit on three major exhibits: John Singer Sargent: Portraits in Charcoal, Verdi: Creating Otello and Falstaff-Highlights from the Ricordi Archives, and the main library wing.
I really like the John Singer Sargent oil painting portraits. He is quite well known for these paintings that he completed in the early portion of the 1900s including many of the souls and their children. He painted so many famous people of that time period. He ended up switching to charcoal because it was faster and he could complete sketches of sitters much faster.
He was also painting murals at this same time. The sketches were done between England and New England/Boston/New York.
The Verdi exhibit was fascinating. I knew a little about Verdi and his fame writing Aida. He then went into "retirement." It turns out that a successful publisher was able to pull Verdi "back into the game" TWICE!
 |
| The contract that Verdi signed is the top line |
This exhibit focuses on these last two operas. It was full of multi-media elements from the opera -- early manuscripts, costumes, theater backdrops, and contracts. Most composers had stayed away from Shakespeare based operas after the success of a few others.
 |
| Original manuscript with the printing press plates |
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| Final printed version |
It puts the library in Beauty and the Beast to shame. I could just look at all the books he purchased for hours.
The Gutenberg Bible continues to be a crown jewel of the collection.
It also has a fantastic gift shop. I picked up a few items for my sisters' and mother's Christmas stocking!
Times visited: 10
Time in museum: ~1.75 hrs
Overall: A
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